Dual grill cooking apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for simultaneously grilling food from above and below is provided having upper and lower grilling surfaces of gas fired tubes. The upper grill is hinged to lift up and provide access to the food and is vertically adjustable to accommodate variations in thickness of the item being cooked. The upper and lower grills are supported on a frame having a supply of combustion gases and induced draft exhaust system.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. A cooking apparatus, comprising a first set of parallel tubes arranged in a plane, said tubes having an intake end and an exhaust end, means to deliver combustion gases to said intake ends of said first set of tubes, means connected to said exhaust ends of said first set of tubes for directing said combustion gases away from said first set of tubes, means to urge said combustion gases through said first set of tubes, a second set of parallel tubes arranged in a plane, said tubes having an intake end and an exhaust end, means to deliver combustion gases to said intake ends of said second set of tubes, means connected to said exhaust ends of said second set of tubes for directing said combustion gases away from said second set of tubes, means to urge said combustion gases through said second set of tubes, means to support said first set of tubes in a raised, horizontal position, and means to alternately support said second set of tubes in a first position parallel to and proximate to said first set of tubes, wherein said first and second tubes are in vertical alignment, and a second position wherein said second set of tubes is retracted from said first set of tubes. 
     
     
       2. A cooking apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means to direct said combustion gases away from said first set of tubes and said means to direct combustion gases away from said second set of tubes, comprises an exhaust duct. 
     
     
       3. A cooking apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means to urge combustion gases through said first set of tubes and said means to urge combustion gases through said second set of tubes, comprises an exhaust fan connected to said exhaust duct. 
     
     
       4. A cooking apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second set of tubes has an edge pivotally connected to said support means for said second set of tubes. 
     
     
       5. A cooking apparatus, comprising: (a) a first grill having a set of parallel tubes arranged in a plane, said tubes having an intake end and an exhaust end, a first intake manifold connected to said intake ends of said tubes and a first exhaust manifold connected to said exhaust ends of said tubes;   (b) a second grill having a set of parallel tubes arranged in a plane, said tubes having an intake end and an exhaust end, a second intake manifold connected to said intake ends of said tubes and a second exhaust manifold connected to said exhaust ends of said tubes;   (c) means to deliver combustion gases to said first intake manifold;   (d) means to deliver combustion gases to said second intake manifold;   (e) an exhaust duct receiving said combustion gases from said first exhaust manifold and said second exhaust manifold;   (f) means to support said first grill in a raised, horizontal position;   (g) means to support said second grill in a first position parallel to and above said first grill and to support said second grill in a second position retracted from said first grill relative to said first position.   
     
     
       6. A cooking apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising an exhaust fan connected to said exhaust duct. 
     
     
       7. A cooking apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said means to support said first grill and said second grill comprises a frame and an edge of said second grill is pivotally connected to said frame forming a hinge. 
     
     
       8. A cooking apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said frame comprises means to vertically adjust a distance between said first grill and said second grill. 
     
     
       9. A cooking apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said second intake manifold has an elongated chamber located at said edge of said second grill with an inlet therein. 
     
     
       10. A cooking apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said means to deliver combustion gases to said second intake manifold comprises an intake duct having an opening in communication with said inlet in said chamber. 
     
     
       11. A cooking apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said intake duct and said chamber are matingly slidable as said second grill is moved from said first position to said second retracted position. 
     
     
       12. A cooking apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said second exhaust manifold comprises an outlet located at said edge of said second grill and said exhaust duct has an opening in communication with said second exhaust manifold outlet. 
     
     
       13. A cooking apparatus, comprising: a first grill having a set of parallel tubes arranged in a plane, said tubes having an intake end and an exhaust end, a first intake manifold connected to said intake ends of said tubes, said first intake manifold having an inlet therein, a first exhaust manifold connected to an exhaust end of said tubes, said first exhaust manifold having an outlet therein;   a second grill having a set of parallel tubes arranged in a plane, said tubes having an intake end and an exhaust end, a second intake manifold connected to said intake ends of said tubes, said second intake manifold having an inlet therein, a second exhaust manifold connected to an exhaust end of said tubes, said second exhaust manifold having an outlet therein;   a support frame having means to deliver combustion gases to said first grill, an intake duct with an opening therein, an exhaust duct with first and second openings therein, means to slidably engage said first grill in a raised, horizontal position whereby said inlet in said first intake manifold is aligned with said combustion gases delivery means and said outlet in said first exhaust manifold is aligned with said first opening in said exhaust duct, means to pivotally engage an edge of said second grill in a first position parallel to and above said first grill and in a second retracted position, wherein said second intake manifold is matingly slidable with said intake duct for alignment of said inlet in said second intake manifold and said opening in said intake duct and said second exhaust manifold is matingly slidable with said exhaust duct for alignment of said outlet of said exhaust manifold and said second opening in said exhaust duct.   
     
     
       14. A cooking apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said inlet of said second intake manifold is located at said pivoting edge of said second grill. 
     
     
       15. A cooking apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said outlet of said second exhaust manifold is located at said pivoting edge of said second grill. 
     
     
       16. A cooking apparatus according to claim 15 further comprising an exhaust fan connected to said exhaust duct. 
     
     
       17. A cooking apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said frame comprises a stationary lower portion housing said means to slidably engage said first grill and a vertically extendable upper portion housing said intake duct and said means to pivotally engage said edge of said second grill. 
     
     
       18. A cooking apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said means to engage said edge of said second grill comprises means to maintain alignment of said outlet of said second exhaust manifold and said second opening in said exhaust duct when said second grill is vertically displaced. 
     
     
       19. A cooking apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said second intake manifold comprises a cylinder aligned along said edge of said second grill and sealed at both ends, a side of said cylinder is connected to said intake ends of said tubes and an opposite side of said cylinder has an elongated slot therein. 
     
     
       20. A cooking apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said second exhaust manifold conducts combustion gases from an opposite edge of said second grill along a perimeter of said second grill and back to said edge of said grill pivotally engaged with said support frame.